CRANLEIGH Infant School governors have been accused of keeping parents in the dark over plans for a merger with St Nicolas School.

Using documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act , Kay and Clive Gordon say the school, contrary to claims made at recent public meetings, would remain viable in its own right without the amalgamation.

According to the couple, both solicitors, the main reason for the merger appears to be the need to improve – or rebuild – St Nicolas School. They are angry that news of the proposed amalgamation was only announced after the date by which prospective parents had to make a decision on their choice of infant school.

That was in October, but previously unpublished sections of the minutes of the infant school’s governing body reveal that the governors had – after previously resisting the idea – agreed to a merger with St Nicolas on June 13.

“The minutes reveal an almost obsessive desire to keep the proposed merger secret,” said Mr Gordon. “This contrasts with the position of the governing body of St Nicolas, which was happy to inform parents.”

Minutes of a meeting held in September state that the junior school was “keen to inform parents about the three options being considered”, but continue: “However, CIS (Cranleigh Infant School) remain adamant that nothing should be announced to the public until such time as a more detailed plan has been established and positive aspects changes (sic) can be published with confidence.”

Mr Gordon said: “The reason they were waiting for more information to be available doesn’t stack up. At the public meeting there was little that we could be told about the merged school. All the main decisions are to be made by the temporary board of governors and can only be made once permission is obtained from the local education authority to proceed, so why wait to tell parents?”

Falling school rolls and the resulting drop in funding is the driving force behind the county’s proposal to merge Cranleigh Infant with St Nicolas to form a new primary school. But Mr and Mrs Gordon point to an admission in the minutes of a governors’ meeting last May at which it was stated the infant school would remain viable with an annual intake as low as 27 children.

It was only concern about other issues, including fears the county council may not support it, that resulted in the decision to amalgamate, but the Gordons say parents should have been told this.

“The main reason for the merger seems to be to provide funding for a new or refurbished junior school,” added Mr Gordon, who said St Nicolas could pay for its own refurbishment if a £2.5 million offer to sell off part of its land at the rear of the post office for commercial development was accepted. Mr Gordon said there was nothing in the minutes to suggest a new building was a certainty, adding: “Many parents are only prepared to accept the merger because they have been assured that a new school will be built.”

Chairman of Cranleigh Infant School’s governing body, Sarah McManus, said: “I am disappointed Mr Gordon did not respond to me directly, as I could have cleared up a number of misunderstandings.

“We are committed to holding another meeting for parents in January, as promised in the consultation meetings in December, in order to provide a second opportunity for discussion about the proposal.

“I should like to reinforce that the governing body’s goal has been, and continues to be, the provision of excellent education in a strategic and responsible manner for the children of Cranleigh.”